diff --git a/start.js b/start.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa51a1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/start.js
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+require('dotenv').config();
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+const chalk = require('chalk');
+
+const clientsDir = path.join(__dirname, 'clients');
+const forcedVersion = process.env.FORCE_CLIENT_VERSION;
+const bootLogPath = path.join(__dirname, '.boot');
+const fallbackLogFile = path.join(bootLogPath, 'fallback.log');
+
+if (!fs.existsSync(bootLogPath)) fs.mkdirSync(bootLogPath);
+fs.writeFileSync(fallbackLogFile, '=== Fallback Log ===\n');
+
+function compareVersions(a, b) {
+  const [aMajor, aMinor, aPatch] = a.split('.').map(Number);
+  const [bMajor, bMinor, bPatch] = b.split('.').map(Number);
+  if (aMajor !== bMajor) return bMajor - aMajor;
+  if (aMinor !== bMinor) return bMinor - aMinor;
+  return bPatch - aPatch;
+}
+
+function getClientVersions() {
+  return fs.readdirSync(clientsDir)
+    .filter(file => file.endsWith('.js'))
+    .map(f => f.replace(/\.js$/, ''))
+    .filter(v => /^\d+\.\d+\.\d+$/.test(v))
+    .sort(compareVersions); // sort versions in descending order
+}
+
+function logFallback(message) {
+  const timestamp = new Date().toISOString();
+  fs.appendFileSync(fallbackLogFile, `[${timestamp}] ${message}\n`, 'utf8');
+}
+
+function startClient(version, latest, filePath) {
+  try {
+    process.env.CLIENT_VERSION = version;
+    process.env.LATEST_VERSION = latest;
+
+    console.log(chalk.green(`✅  Launching client version: ${version}`));
+    require(filePath);
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.log(chalk.red(`❌  Failed to load version ${version}:`));
+    logFallback(`Failed to load version ${version}: ${err.message}`);
+
+    if (forcedVersion) {
+      console.error(chalk.red(`🛑  Forced version failed. No fallback allowed.`));
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+
+    return false; // allow fallback to prior version
+  }
+
+  return true;
+}
+
+function boot() {
+  const versions = getClientVersions();
+
+  if (versions.length === 0) {
+    console.error(chalk.red('❌  No valid client versions found in /clients.'));
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  const latest = versions[0];
+
+  if (forcedVersion) {
+    const filePath = path.join(clientsDir, `${forcedVersion}.js`);
+    if (!fs.existsSync(filePath)) {
+      console.error(chalk.red(`❌  Forced version '${forcedVersion}' not found.`));
+      logFallback(`Forced version '${forcedVersion}' not found.`);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+
+    console.log(chalk.yellow(`⚠️  Forced version detected: ${forcedVersion}`));
+    startClient(forcedVersion, latest, filePath);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  for (const version of versions) {
+    const filePath = path.join(clientsDir, `${version}.js`);
+    const success = startClient(version, latest, filePath);
+    if (success) return;
+
+    console.log(chalk.yellow(`↩️  Falling back to next available version...`));
+  }
+
+  console.log(chalk.red('❌  All client versions failed to load. Giving up.'));
+  logFallback('All client versions failed to load. Giving up.');
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+boot();